Hand-carried motion-picture projecting and viewing device



Oct. 19, 1948. A. HARVEY 2,451,947

' HAND-CARRIED MOTION PICTURE PROJECTING AND VIEWING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 avwey Lou 5 15W? Get. 19, 1948. L. A. HARVEY HAND-CARRIED MOTION PICTURE PROJECTING AND VIEWING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 19, 1948 HAND-CARRIED MOTION-PICTURE PRO- JECTING AND VIEWING DEVICE Louis A. Harvey, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 4, 1948, Serial No. 859,831

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to motion picture projectors and in particular to portable motion picture projectors.

One object of this invention is to provide a portable motion picture projector which is completely self-contained. including its screen,in a light-weight and compact assembly which can be carried in the hand.

Another object is to provide a self-contained motion picture projector and screen completely housed in a casing approximately the size and weight of a hand camera wherein the motion picture can be viewed at any time without any prior preparation other than loading the projector and winding a spring motor.

Another object is to provide a self-contained motion picture projector and screen capable of using the ordinary home-size motion picture film yet capable of being carried in one hand from place to place.

Another object is to provide a camera size motion picture projector as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the motion pictures can be viewed in daylight and even while walking or riding in a vehicle.

Another object is to provide a camera size motion picture projector wherein all elements for its functioning, including batteries for energizing the illumination and projecting system are selfcontained within the box which houses the film, the take-up reel, the spring-actuated motor and the viewing screen.

Another object is to provide a portable motion picture projector as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the film is rewound after viewing merely by reversing the positions of the reels and turning them upside down so that the film, while being rewound traverses the rearward part of the projector without passing through the intermittent feed mechanism at the forward part of the projector.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view partly broken away of a hand-carried, self-contained motion picture projector according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the cover removed to disclose the internal mechanism;

Figure 2 is a vertical section along the line 2-2 in Figure 1 showing the film-feeding and take-up mechanism;

Figure 3 is a vertical section at right angles to Figure 2, taken along the line 33 in Figure 1 and showing the optical projection system and screen;

Figure 4 is a vertical section'along the line 8-4 in Figure 1 showing a portion of the electrical connections with the batteries;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section along the line 5-5 in Figure 1 showing the mechanism for driving the take-up reel;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section along the line 8-8 in Figure 1 showing the mechanism associated with one of the film feeding sprockets;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view, partly in section, of the intermittent film feeding mechanism shown in the center of Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a reduced diagrammatic top plan view similar to Figure 1 with certain parts omitted. showing the reels and film in the rewind positions thereof.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1,

2 and 3 show a preferred embodiment of the projector, generally designated to of this invention, as consisting of a box-like casing ll having an aperture 12 at one end thereof for receiving the bent projections ll on the edge flange H of a cover IS, the opposite edge flange of which is formed with an outwardly bent portion l8 mating with a corresponding projection IT on the casing II to provide a detent for holding the cover I! releasably in position. The casing ii is provided with corner shelves ll servin as support to which a platform I9 is secured as by fasteners 20. The platform I! serves to support the film feeding and take-up mechanism, gen-' erally designated 2i (Figure 2), the optical pro- .iection and viewing system. generally designated 22, the illumination system generally designated 23 and the spring motor unit, generally designated 24.

Film feeding and winding mechanism 33 (Figure 1) engaged by a pawl 34 pivoted upon the pivot screw 35 and urged into engagement with the teeth 33 by a coil spring 36 encircling the pivot screw 35, both being mounted upon a post 31 (Figure 2) rising from the bottom wall 25 of the casing H and having a portion passing through an aperture 38 therein and secured thereto by being enlarged as at 39.

The hub 30 continues upwardly in a portion 40 having a central bore 4! through which passes.

the shank of a pivot stud 42 having a head 53 mounted at the end of the threaded bore 29. The upper end of the pivot stud 42 has a reduced diameter portion M passing through a hole 45 in the platform i9 and beyond this is enlarged as at 46 to secure it firmly in position. Secured outer hooked end 49 of which is anchored in a slot 80 in the clipped portion 8i of a housing disc 02. The disc 32 is attached to a hub 63 (Figure 2) having a' bore 5| loosely and rotatably mounted on the pivotstud 42. The hub 52 is provided with a pully groove 5! which drlvingly engages an endless belt 50. the oppositeportion of which drivingly engages a pulley 07 having a hub ll mounted upon a vertical shaft 50 Journaled in the bore of a bearing bushing 0i secured in the hole 02 in the platform I9. Mounted on the upperlend of the shaft I50 is a pair of discs I and I4 having an approximately heart-shaped cam II pivotally supported therebetween by an eccentric pivot pin 08, the cam 05 also being bored to encircle the shaft I! (Figure 'l). The heart-shaped cam 0!! is so designated for convenience and consciseness of description; more accurately, it has the outline of a spherical triangle.

Surrounding the heart-shaped cam 05 and slidably mounted between the discs 02 and N is the forward end 01 of an intermittent feed arm .00, the portion 01 having an approximately square opening 00 surrounding both the cam 8| and the shaft 50. The intermittent feed arm ll at its rearward end is provided with a yoke portion I0 slidably and pivotally engaging an annular slot II (Figure 7) in a vertical post I2 mounted on the upper side of the platform II. The inner edge of the forward portion 01' is provided with a pair of spaced pointed feed fingers 12 disposed at an interval corresponding to the interval between the perforations 14 of the film 15. Consequently, when the shaft 58 is rotated by the belt I0 from the spring motor 24, the intermittent feed arm 80 is oscillated by the rotation of the cam 05 through the action of passage of the filmfeeding fingers l3.

Stare also provided with similarly aligned elongated apertures as andtt (Figure 7) for the The film guide 88 is flanged as at Q53 and secured by the fasteners 98 to the platform It (Figure 2), and at its upper and lower edges is provided with laterally projecting bent-over portions 06 and 07 engaging and guiding the upper and lower edges respectively of the film guide, 08. The latter is yielding urged into engagement with film to by an L-shaped upstanding finger 08 secured as at the eccentric pivot pin ll, causing the filmfeeding fingers to enter the film perforations l4 and advance the film I! one frame per revolution, after which the fingers 13 are retracted from the perforations l4 and the film I! momentarily remains stationary.

The film II is a conventional type having the usual frames II (Figure 2), and one end thereof is releasably attached to a slot If in the hub II of a spool or reel 18. The reel II is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 80 having an enlarged portion II at the bottom thereof with a pin 82 extending upwardly into a slot 82 (Figure 1) of the film reel I0. The shaft 80 at its lower portion'is Journaled in a bushing 02 mounted in a hole 02 in the-platform II. The shaft 00 at its lower end carries an enlargement, such as anut 04 which serves to retain a spring friction disc I! and hold it in yielding engagement with the lower side ofvthe platform I0. In consequence of this construction, the reel 10 is frictionally held against free rotation but is permitted to rotate as the film I! is unwound from it. thereby preventing overrunning of the reel 10.

The film II is unwound from the reel 10 by means Of a sprocket 06 (Figure 1) and is guided to and from the sprocket 80 by guide pins 81 (Figure 8) mounted on opposite sides of they sprocket II. the teeth of which enter the perforations ll of the film II. Beyond the sprocket 00, the dim II forms the usual loop before passing between the separable film guides 08 and 80 (Figure 1), these having aligned apertures 00 and CI. respectively, for the passage of the rays of the projection system. The film guides 88 and 00 to the platform I0.

Beyond the film guides 08 and 88, the film 18 again passes through a loop into a second sprocket I00 and is guided on opposite sides thereof by pins 'IOI similar to the pins 01 already described (Figure 6). Beyond the sprocket I00. .the film passes onto a take-up reel I02 similar in every respect to the reel and having the end of the film 7 5 similarly and releasably hooked into a slot ill! in the huh I thereof. The

take-up reel I02 is mounted upon a vertical shaft I05 and has a slot I00'drivlngly engaged by a pin I01 (Figure 5) mounted on the enlarged portion I00 of the shaft I05. The lower portion of the shaft I0! is Journaled in the bearing bushing I00 secured as at H0 in the hole III in the platform I0. Pinned or otherwise secured to the lower end ofv the shaft IN is the hub N2 of the pulley H8. The latter is driven by an endless belt I from a puiiy H6 (Figure 3) mounted on the lower end of te drive shaft I sprocket I00. 7 I I The sprocket ll is similarly mounted upon a drive shaft II'I (Figure 6) joumaled in a bearing bushing H8 secured in a hole H0 in the platform It and having a ear I20 pinned or otherwise drivingly mounted on the lower end thereof. The guide pins 81 at their lower ends are secured as at MI in holes I22 in the platform i9 adjacent the bearing bushing lid. The gear I20 meshes with a train of idler gears I 23, I25 and I28 (Fig ure 2) respectively mounted upon threaded studs I28, I27 and I28, the upper ends of which are threaded into the platform it. The gear I23 meshes with and is driven from a pinion if! mounted upon the shaft 59 and hence driven by the belt 58 and pulley 61 from the spring motor 24.

The sprocket shaft H8 and sprocket I00 are similar to the construction shown in Figure 6 except that the pulley H8 is mounted upon the drive shaft IIB below a gear E80 which is substituted for the gear I 29 of Figure 6. The gear I30 meshes with and is driven by a train of gears Iti and I32 (Figure 1) mounted upon studs its and I34 threaded into'the platform I9 in a manner similar to the studs I28, I21 and I28 (Figure 2). The gear I22 likewise meshes with the pinion I29 on the shaft 58 and is thereby driven from the latter in a manner similar to the gear 925'.

To provide for braking the gear I8 so as to prevent unwinding of the spring motor 26 when the reels I9 and I02 are being shifted for rewinding purposes, a brake, generally designated in is provided (Figure l).v This consists of a spring arm I30 secured by the fasteners 5'8? to a block I38 mounted on the inner front wall of the casing II and carrying a brake shoe I88 at I36. The shaft Iii is Journaled in a bearing bushas r the ing I48 secured in the hole I44 of the recessed wall I48 struck inwardly from the bottom wall 28 of the casing II (Figure 2) and carries on its lower end an actuating arm or handle I48 operable by the fingers of the operator.

Prodection and. illumination system The projection and illumination systems 22 and 28 are mounted in the central portion of the casing II and are shown in Figure 3. Electrical energy for illumination is provided by a pair of dry cells I 88 or any other suitable dry battery. The dry cells I 88 shown (Figures 1 and 3) are of the type employed in flashlight batteries and are placed with their central electrodes I8I disposed in opposite directions. The batteries I88 are held between retaining members I82 and IE3 secured to the platform I8, the member I88 being a. spring member adapted to urge the batteries I58 toward the member I52. One electrode II of one battery I58 is engaged by one end of a spring bridging contact member I84 (Figure 1) secured by the fastener I58 to the post I56 of insulating material rising from and secured to the platform I8. The opposite end of the bridging contact member I54 engages the end of the metallic casing I51 of the other battery I58. The remainlng central electrode I5i is engaged by a spring contact finger I58 (Figures 1 and 3) which passes through an aperture 558 in the platform 58 and is secured by the fastener Q88 to an insulating bridge 185' secured as at 82 to the underside of the platform i8.

A conductor 588 extends from the fastener I88 to the central contact I84 of a lamp socket I85, and is insulated by a plug I88 from the platform 58. lhe outer shell I81 of the lamp socket I85 is screw-threaded (or, if desired, provided with a bayonet type socket) to receive an electric light bulb I88, the central contact of which engages the contact I88. The shell I81 is secured by fasteners I68 to the platform I9 and a conductor I18 runs therefrom to' a switch ill from which a conductor I12 runs to a fastener I13 securing a spring finger I14 (Figure 4) to the insulating bridge IN. The spring finger I14 engages the end of the outer battery casing I58, completing the connection of the batteries I88 in series. The switch I'II is Provided with an operating lever I18 extending through an aperture I18 in the wall of an inwardly recessed portion I11 in the bottom wall 28 of the casing II. The switch I1I is secured by the nuts I18 threaded thereon to a bracket I18 supported as described below on one of 'the mirror supports.

The electric light bulb I88 is of a concentrated filament or approximately point filament type suitable for projection purposes, certain fiashlight bulbs being satisfactory for this use. When the switch "I is closed by operating the lever flll'i, the light bulb I88 is energized and gives forth light.

The light from the projection bulb I88 passes through a condensing lens I88 (Figure 3) mounted in a cell I8I supported upon the platform I8. The light collected by the condensing lens I88 passes through the frames 18 of the film 18, llluminating these as they pass in front of the apertures 88 and SL The rays from the film pictures or frames 18 are projected by a projection lens system I82 consisting of lenses I83 and I84 mounted in a cell I85 which in turn is supported by a housing I88. The projection lens system I82 forms a part of the projection and illumination system 22. The rays from the proiection lens system I82 are reflected by 45 degree mirrors I81, I88 and I88 onto a suitable translucent viewing screen I88, such as a fine ground glass screen, the focus of the proiection lens system I82 being adjusted until a sharp image is obtained. The mirror I81 is supported at its upper end by an extension I8I of the housing I88 and its lower end is supported by an extension I82 rising from the mirror bracket portion I88 carrying the mirror I88. The lower end of the mirror bracket portion I93 is secured in an aperture I84 in the bottom wall 26 of the casing II, and has offset portions I95 for receiving the viewing screen I88. The mirror bracket portion I88 on the opposite side of the viewing screen I88 is extended upward as at I 98 to receive the mirror I88 and beyond this is provided with a horizontal portion I81 joining with a vertical portion I88 secured to the platform I8. Thus, the portions I8I, I82, I83, I88, I81 and I88 together make up the box-like housing I88, the upper portion of which extends through a rectangular opening I99 in the platform I8 (Figure l) and has attached thereto the cell or lens barrel I85 of the projection lens system I82. The upright portion I88 of the housing i86 is attached, together with the side Walls 288 and 2M of the housing I88 to the platform I9. The above-described structure for supporting the projection lens system I82, the mirrors Hi1, I88 and E88 and the viewing screen I88 are shown diagrammatically and not in detail because it is obvious that in practice such optical systems and their mountings are constructed in a variety of ways to obtain the optical arrangement necessary. The mirrors I81, I88 and I 89 may be front silvered or rear silvered, as desired, the front-sllvered form giving a, clearer image free from ghost images by multiple reflection but being less durable than the rear-silvered mirror. The term "sllvered is used to embrace surfaces other than metallic silver, for example metallic aluminum and other such reflecting coatings well-known in the optical art.

Operation of the invention In the operation of the invention, the cover I5 is removed by lifting up on the detent edge portion I8 (Figure 2). A pair of batteries I58 are then inserted as shown in Figure l with their central electrodes Ilii facing in opposite directions and engaging the respective contact members I54 and I88, the bottom ends of the battery casings engaging the spring fingers I18 and the opposite end of the contact member I54. The batteries I58 are then connected in series to supply their maximum voltage to the illumination bulb I88 which is inserted in the socket I65. A reel 19 with standard film thereon is then mounted on the shaft 88 with the pin 82 in the slot 83. The end of the film 18 is then withdrawn for about a foot of length and threaded over the sprocket 88 and around the guide pins 81, then between the film guides 88 and 89, the latter being pulled rearwardly to insert the film, a loop being left at .both ends of these film guides. The film is then threaded over the sprocket I88 and between the guide pins IM and the free end is then inserted in the slot I88 in'the take-up reel I82 (Figure 1 and rotated a few turns to-anchor it in position until the pin I81 enters the slot I88 as the reel I82 is inserted upon the shaft I85. Assuming that the projection lens system I82 has been properly focussed upon the focussing screen I88,

and the spring motor 24 has been wound by turning the key 21, the projector is ready for use.

To start the projector, the lever I18 of the switch III is shifted to close the illuminating circuit and illuminate the projection bulb I88. The

brake handle I 48 is then rotated to release the brake shoe I38 from the gear I80 (Figure 1).

This releases the mechanism actuated by the spring motor 24, whereupon the belt 88 (Figure 2) drives the pulley 51 onthe intermittent feed shaft I59 (Figure 7.) causing the intermittent feed arm 88 to oscillate in response to the action of the cam 85, causing the pointed fingers I8 intermittently to enter the film perforations I4 and advance the film 18 frame by frame with'a short halt between each advancement step. Meanwhile, the sprockets Iilll and 88 are rotated by their connection with the intermittent feed shaft 69 through the trains of gears previously described causing the film I5 to be unwound from the reel I9 and intermittently advance past the aligned apertures 80 and 9| through which the light from the projection bulb I88 is passing. The image of each frame I6 is projected by the projection lens system I82 and reflected successively from the mirrors I81, I88 and I88 onto the translucent viewing screen I90 where the motion picture is viewed by the observer. Meanwhile, the belt II from the pulley H5 mounted on the lower end of the sprocket shaft II8 drives the take-up reel I02 and winds the film thereon after viewing.

When all of the film has been viewed and wound on the take-up reel I02, the latter and the reel 19 are removed from their respective shafts I85 and 80, turned upside down and interchanged as shown in Figure 8. The film I5 is then threaded over the member I52 and attached at its free end to the notch H in the empty reel 18, which now becomes the take-up reel. The spring motor 24 is now operated by releasing the lever I48 of the brake I35, whereupon the reel I8 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in Figure 8 to rewind the film.

After the film has been rewound, the now full reel '39 and the empty reel I 82 are again removed from the shafts I88 and 88, are again inverted, and are then placed in their original positions as shown in Figure l. rethreaded around the sprockets 88 and I88 and through the film guides 88 and 89 in the manner previously described, leaving the loops as shown in Figure l. The free end of the film is then again hooked into the notch I88 of the take-up reel I02 and the projector is again ready for use. Obviously, after rewinding the film upon the reel I9, a different reel with a different picture may be substituted therefor and exhibited in the previously described manner. While rewinding' is being accomplished. the illumination switch "I is of course opened by shifting the hand lever Il5 so as to de-energize the projection builb I88.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with the film commonly known as 16-min. film with perforations along both edges thereof. It will be understood, however. that the device, by minor and obvious modifications in the film holding and feeding devices, may be adapted to accommodate and utilize the so-called 8-mm. film having perforations along a single edge thereof,

thereby still further reducing the size of the apparatus to the approximate dimensions of a hand camera and even to a size of casing which may be carried in a coat pocket.

The compactness of the present invention en.- ables it to be carried on outings or in a motor car. train, air plane, or boat, and operated while such means of transportation is in motion. It can also be used at the beach, inthe woods, and in other places where electricity is not available. because it carries its own batteries and is completely self-contained, even to containing its own screen.

While I have shown and described my invention in detail, it is to be understood that the same is to be limited only by the appended claims, for many changes may be made without departing. from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A self-contained hand-carried apparatus for projecting and viewing motion picture film comprising a casing including a partition'dividing the interior thereof into upper and lower compartments, an electric battery carried by said casing, a film illuminator including an electric projection lamp centrally mounted on said partition and electrically connected to said electric battery; a film feeder adjacent said lamp, a pair of laterally spaced film spool shafts rotatably mounted in said casing on opposite sides of said lamp and extending through said partition an image screen carried by said casing, a lens system adapted to project an image of said film onto said screen, a plurality of sequentially disposed reflectors positioned between-said lens system and said screen, and a spring-actuated motor mounted in said lower compartment and operatively connected to said film feeder and to one of said shafts.

2. A self-contained hand-carried apparatus for projecting and viewing motion picture film comprising a casing including a partition dividing the interior thereof into upper and lower compartments, an electric battery carried by said casing, a film illuminator including an electric projection lamp centrally mounted on said partition and electrically connected to said electric battery, a film feeder adjacent said lamp, a pair of laterally spaced film spool shafts rotatably mounted in said casing on opposite sides of said lamp and extending through said partition an image screen carried by said casing. a lens system adapted to project an image of said film onto said screen, a plurality of sequentially disposed reflectors positioned between said lens system and said screen, and a spring-actuated motor mounted in said lower compartment and operatively connected to said film feeder and to one of said shafts, said film illuminator being spaced away from the adjacent wall of said casing to provide a film rewind passageway therebetween communicating with the film spools on said shafts.

LOUIS A. HARVEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UN STATES PATENTS" Number Name Date 410, Bruckner et al.: Aug. 27, 1889 528, Blackmore Oct. 30, 1894 1, 55 1, 259 Merriman Aug. 25, 1925 1, 703, 945 Meissner"; ..-Mar. 5, 1929 1, 940, 151 Serrurier Dec. 19, 1933 2, 284, Kemna "May 26, 1942 2,381,987 Bolsey "Aug. 1a, 1845 

